RPG Adults
BILDAD’S FINAL ANSWER
THURSDAY, MAY 26
Job 25
Psalm 14
“What is man, that thou
art mindful of him?”
BILDAD’S FINAL ANSWER
Bildad had no new advice for his friend – all his arguments had not caused Job to waver from his position. Job insisted that he had no unconfessed sin before God which could have brought on his terrible tribulation. Thus, in his final speech, Bildad focused on two things: the greatness of God and the weakness of man.
God is supreme in power and glory, far above all the creatures of heaven and earth. He is Lord among the legions of heaven, commanding their reverence. There is no place that the power of God is not supreme (Job 25:1-3; Isa 40:26; Ps 115:3).
When man sees God in all His righteousness, he sees himself as a sinner, hopeless before the Almighty Creator. He cannot approach God to plead his case. Bildad voiced the cry of mankind down through the ages, “How then can man be justified with God?” (Job 25:4-6; Isa 64:6; Rom 5:12). Bildad hoped that contrasting God’s righteousness and man’s wickedness would remind Job that he needed to humble himself before God. Basically, all that Bildad said in this last speech was true but it did not really answer Job’s problem.
It is true that man is a hopeless sinner before a righteous God. Man can do nothing for himself. However, there is hope because God, in His mercy, sent Jesus Christ to be a sacrifice for us. His death paid the penalty for our sins. When, by faith, we accept this payment on our behalf, we receive the righteousness of God so that we can stand before Him. This righteousness cannot be attained by religious rituals or good works in the hope of pleasing God. Our justification comes by faith alone, in the mercy and grace of God, as it is offered in Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1, 8-11).
May we, who know the joy of this salvation, live for God in order to show others the righteousness that we have in Him.
THOUGHT: What is sinful man’s only hope?
PRAYER: I thank Thee, Father, for Thy gift of eternal life through faith in Thy Son Jesus Christ.